A possible meteor streaked across the skies of New York City and New Jersey on Tuesday morning, causing a loud boom and shaking that startled residents. The event, captured in multiple videos, has led to significant public interest and speculation.
Sightings and Reports
Several people reported seeing what looked like a meteor streaking through the sky, accompanied by a loud boom and noticeable shaking. NASA's initial reports suggest that this daylight fireball may have passed over the Statue of Liberty before moving west into New Jersey. The American Meteor Society received dozens of reports about the fireball around 11:15 a.m. from the Tri-State Area and parts of Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. Videos posted on the American Meteor Society's website show a flash of light streaking through the sky in Northford, Connecticut, and Wayne, New Jersey.
New York City Councilman Justin Brannan commented on the event, stating, "Folks from the Jersey Shore to the West Side of Manhattan reported hearing a sonic boom." Despite the widespread reports, NYC Emergency Management noted, "There is nothing on their radar. USGS says no earthquake. Some say maybe a meteor?"
NASA's Analysis
NASA's Meteoroid Environments Office provided more details, estimating that the fireball was first seen over New York City, then traveled east at 38,000 miles per hour, passing over the Statue of Liberty before heading west into New Jersey. According to Bill Cooke, lead for NASA's Meteoroid Environments Office, the meteor was "a small meteor, about a foot across, traveling at 34,000 miles an hour." Cooke explained, "Something when it's moving that fast it heats up. You expect to see meteors at night not during the day, so this was a rare daylight fireball."
Cooke also addressed the confusion about the source of the loud booms, stating, "It's not entirely clear if the loud booms people heard at the time they saw the fireball was from the fireball itself or from military activities happening simultaneously in New Jersey. So, if the fireball produced a boom it's kind of lost in all the stuff generated by military activity to your south."
Public Reactions
The event sparked numerous reactions from the public. Judah Bergman, who was working at his desk in Lakewood, described his sighting: "It was long and really, really fast. It looked like a flaming, long rod or something on fire and flying through the sky."
Steven Bradley, from Park Ridge, recalled hearing the boom, "Then, less than a second after that, there was a tremble of the house as if something had hit my roof." He noted that the sound and rumbling were enough to scare his pets, saying, "The golden retriever jumped out of his skin and the cat just darted under the sofa."
Investigations and Conclusions
Despite the dramatic nature of the event, NASA noted that no meteorites were found, and the initial trajectory is based on eyewitness accounts that have not been verified by camera or satellite data. The American Meteor Society listed up to 20 possible sightings between 11:16 and 11:20 a.m., further indicating the widespread visibility of the meteor.
The event has highlighted the dynamic and often unpredictable nature of meteoric activity, as well as the significant impact such events can have on the public. The ongoing investigations aim to provide a clearer understanding of what exactly transpired and whether military activities played a role in the perceived impact of the fireball.
As investigations continue, the event serves as a reminder of the fascinating and sometimes startling phenomena that occur in our skies, offering both scientists and the public a glimpse into the dynamic environment beyond our planet.